Search
Make wishtv.com your home page

Who has a “Mean Turkey Gobble?” Apparently, Randy Ollis has a pretty good one… or so he thinks! But he’s not the only one! Here’s Indy Style’s Amber Hankins with some Turkey Day Newsroom Nonsense.

Thanksgiving is coming soon, but it’s not too late to plan a holiday feast with great eats and treats on a budget.

DJ Blatner, registered dietitian, nutritionist and author, joined us today as she’s teaming up with ALDI for a holiday meal that saves you money and includes ‘healthified’ sides.

For more information visit, ALDI.us.

THIS SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY ALDI.

Looking for some side dishes to pair with your Thanksgiving or holiday meal? Chef Yoshi Khosrowshahi, area culinary director at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, made a roasted vegetable and goat cheese flatbread and a gnocchi carbonara and share what wines will pair best with them.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants is opening a new winery and restaurant in Avon on Monday, November 15th! This will be the second Central Indiana location.

Cooper’s Hawk is a lifestyle brand and one of the nation’s fastest-growing upscale casual dining restaurants.

Award-winning winery, restaurant, artisan market, and Napa-style tasting room concept with headquarters in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Cooper’s Hawk has the largest Wine Club in the country, offering limited production Wines of the Month, unique travel and dining experiences, events, insider rewards, and more privileges to members.

Cooper’s Hawk redefines the modern casual dining experience. Each dish on the menu is listed with a bin number, guiding guests to their selection’s perfect wine pairing.

About the new Avon location:

Central Indiana Locations:

For more information visit:

Website: chwinery.com

Facebook: facebook.com/chindianapolisin

Twitter: @Chwinery

Instagram: Chwinery

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Mozel Sanders Foundation did not let the coronavirus pandemic get in the way of 49 years of tradition.

Because of the pandemic, Thanksgiving looked a lot different this year for volunteers with the Mozel Sanders Foundation. To help with social distancing, fewer people prepared food at the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church.

Normally most of the food is prepared in a kitchen at Butler University. This year because of the pandemic, organizers had to use several different locations to prepare the food. Because of that, they couldn’t make as many meals this year. In previous years, the foundation and its volunteers prepared up 40,000 meals. This year, those folks prepared 10,000.

The chief operations officer of the foundation, Stephanie Sanders said the community has to pull together to continue to take care of each other.

“We need to pull together as a people and a nation and make it work ,” Sanders said.

Mike O’Banyel was in charge of the Mozel Sanders’ preparation at the Tabernacle Presbyterian. The church was this year’s largest satellite location for the foundation. Volunteering on Thanksgiving Day for the foundation has become a family tradition for him that started with O’Banyel’s father. Now, that tradition has continued with his sons and his wife. He said seeing the volunteers working says a lot about the human spirit.

“It makes me grateful that there are people willing to serve, help out and give time on Thanksgiving Day when they could be spending time with their family.”

Barbra Boyd has been volunteering at Tabernacle preparing meals for 30 years. She said helping people in need is one of the most satisfying things she’s ever done. “We know from experiences that there are people that are hungry, so we are doing our share to make sure that they are going to eat today.”

The event’s organizers said the success was a team effort. Sanders said, “Mozel Sanders is just the name but the Hoosiers make it happen in Indianapolis.”

The Mozel Sanders Foundation is already preparing to make next year’s Thanksgiving bigger and better than ever. The foundation always welcomes support from the community. People can use their smartphones to donate by texting “mozel” to 313131 or going to the “Donate” section at mozelsanders.org.

Coronavirus links

Indiana coronavirus timeline

With information from the Indiana Department of Health through March 4, 2021, this timeline reflects updated tallies of deaths and positive tests prior to that date.

CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — Fire crews are preparing to respond to more calls than usual on Thanksgiving Day.

That’s because many people are planning to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines this year and skipping the big family gatherings, staying home for Thanksgiving.

Cooking the Thanksgiving turkey is a big responsibility, so local fire departments are asking families to check your heat before you eat.

Tim Griffin with the Carmel Fire Department said remembering these tips can keep your holiday from ending in tragedy:

  1. Make sure to have working smoke detectors.
  2. Keep oil fryers outside.
  3. Don’t overfill the oil fryer pot.
  4. Thaw your turkey.
  5. Consider a greaseless fryer.
  6. Don’t be afraid to call for help.

“We are here 24/7 365 days a year, so you don’t have to hesitate to call 911. That’s what we are here for. We want to make sure we work on a holiday so your holiday can stay safe and happy,” said Griffin.

Remember if a grease fire does happen at your home, make sure you do not put water on it. Instead, use a fire extinguisher and call for help.

Michelle Dudash, RDN, registered dietitian, chef and author of Clean Eating for Busy Families says it’s all about balance during Thanksgiving week, so she joined us today with easy low-carb appetizers from her new and upcoming book The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health.

The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook was inspired by my readers, viewers, colleagues, friends, and family who are always looking for low-carb recipes. As a dietitian, though, I wanted to pair it with one of the healthiest diets in the world—the Mediterranean diet. The recipe inspiration came from my travels to the Mediterranean and the foods I like to eat that are easily found in U.S. grocery stores. I also gathered my grandmother’s and great grandmother’s recipes, who emigrated from Lebanon, another Mediterranean country, to the U.S. when my grandmother was a baby.

Ground meat stuffed into food vesicles is a very Lebanese thing, so I came up with these Mini Bell Peppers with Turkey and Pistachios. They are a finger food that’s ready in 30 minutes from start to finish and have a pretty presentation. You can prep these the day before Thanksgiving and just pop them into the oven on the day of.

Mini bell peppers stuffed with turkey and pistachios

I love those raw sweet mini bell peppers for snacking. Just wash and eat! They also look adorable stuffed with ground turkey and roasted as little appetizers. You can prep these a day in advance and pop them into the oven right before party time.

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cut off the tops of the peppers right between the straight sides and the rounded shoulders. Pull out the seeds and membranes using your fingers or dislodge with a paring knife. Poke a hole into the pointy tips of the peppers, making an air gap to allow for easier stuffing.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the turkey, pistachios (reserving 2 tablespoons for later), vinegar, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, coriander, cinnamon, and pepper. Using a small spoon or butter knife, stuff the peppers with the turkey, leaving a nice rounded top protruding out a bit at the top of the peppers. Gently roll the meat ends of the peppers into the reserved pistachios. Place the peppers on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  4. Bake until the largest peppers are blistered and tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Suggestions and Variations
  6. For a pepper-free version, you can shape the turkey into small patties and sauté in a bit of olive oil over medium heat.

Note: My preferred way to buy coriander is as whole seeds and then grinding only the amount I need in a mortar and pestle. It adds texture to the dish, where a fine powder can’t. And the aroma is dreamy. It’s one of my favorite spices, and I use it in Asian-style stir-fries, chili, and meat rubs.

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES • YIELD: 16 SERVINGS, 1 PEPPER EACH

PER SERVING: 57 CALORIES, 2 G CARBOHYDRATE (1 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 1 G NET CARBS), 5 G PROTEIN, 4 G FAT, 85 MG SODIUM.

Shrimp-stuffed mushrooms with lemon and rosemary

I find that baked stuffed mushrooms at parties always get devoured. And I love them, too. While the standard recipes are delicious, I wish they weren’t mostly filled with cream cheese. In these stuffed mushrooms, I reverse the formula, using mostly shrimp and just a smidgen of good, real mayonnaise (or use cream cheese if you prefer).

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Rinse the mushrooms briefly under running water, rubbing off any debris, and place on a towel. Pluck off the stems and slice off the bottom 1⁄8 inch, just enough to remove any shriveled edges, reserving the plump parts of the stems. Place the mushroom caps on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the insides with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
  2. Place the mushroom scraps, white and green scallion pieces (reserving the sliced scallions), garlic, and rosemary in a large food processor. Process until minced. Add the shrimp, lemon zest and juice, mayonnaise, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Pulse about 10 times, until the shrimp is mostly finely chopped, with some small pieces remaining. Generously spoon the shrimp into the mushrooms, pressing lightly to fill the crevices. Smooth with the back of a spoon.
  3. Bake until the mushrooms are tender and sizzling around the edges, about 15 minutes. Allow to rest a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle with the sliced scallions and serve with the lemon wedges.

Note: If you are feeding someone who doesn’t eat mushrooms, you can form the shrimp mixture into patties and brown on both sides in a bit of oil over medium heat. Scrumptious.  

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES • YIELD: 22 SERVINGS, 1 MUSHROOM EACH

PER SERVING: 28 CALORIES, 1 G CARBOHYDRATE (0 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 1 G NET CARBS), 3 G PROTEIN, 2 G FAT, 90 MG SODIUM.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Runners can lace up to fight hunger this Thanksgiving.

While some Thanksgiving events have been canceled because of COVID-19, the Drumstick Dash hosted by the Wheeler Mission is still happening Nov. 26, Thanksgiving Day.

The Drumstick Dash is one of Wheeler Mission’s biggest fundraisers of the year. Organizers with the event said the need in the community created by COVID-19 has reinforced their mission.

This year, the Drumstick Dash is celebrating 18 years of tradition. Every Thanksgiving around 20,000 people lace up their sneakers to run in the Drumstick Dash. Organizers worked with the Marion County Public Health Department to assure this year’s event is safe and follows U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Steve Kerr, Wheeler Mission’s executive vice president of advancement, said the 2020 event is more important than ever. “Especially with the pandemic, the need financially to provide for those experiencing homelessness is high.”

The event normally brings in $1 million toward the Wheeler Mission’s goal to provide services to the homeless community. This year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the run’s organizers made several changes to keep participants safe. Changes include limiting the number of participants to 20% of normal, two separate start times, and encouragement to wear masks before and after the race but not while running or walking. There’s also a virtual option.

Matt Duncan and his family run in the dash every year. He’s excited to continue the tradition. “I’m glad we are still able to put on events during these hard times. It shows it can’t crush our spirit. We just have to stay positive.”

Wheeler Mission’s Kerr said it’s important for the community to take care of each other. “Many of us are maybe one paycheck away from becoming homeless.”

Because organizers reduced the number of participants, they expect to lose around $300,000 compared to past events. It’s not too late to sign up online.

Coronavirus links

Indiana coronavirus timeline

With information from the Indiana Department of Health through March 4, 2021, this timeline reflects updated tallies of deaths and positive tests prior to that date.

As with most things in 2020, the upcoming holidays are sure to look a little different. In a time when keeping family members safe and healthy is a priority, how you communicate about your holiday plans may take a little extra thoughtfulness and clarity this year.  Lisa Mitchell, Communications Expert & Founder of Power Body Language joined us today to help with that.

1. Start Your Planning Conversations Early  

Even with long-standing family traditions, how you celebrate the holidays this year is going to require a little extra planning and the sooner you start communicating about your plans, your schedules, and even your concerns, the sooner you can start finding good solutions that can keep your family feeling connected and in the loop. Thanksgiving is a little over two weeks ahead, there’s no time like the present to start these conversations with your family. 

2. Be Clear About What You’re Comfortable With This Year 

Nobody wants to feel like they’re disappointing their family, but in this time where keeping family members safe and healthy is priority and a real concern, you need to be clear and firm on what you’re comfortable with in regards to gathering for celebrations. You also need to be willing to accept and adapt to what other family members are comfortable with as well, especially if they are being strict about limiting exposure and keeping their circle small this year. 

3. Be Flexible And Get Creative! 

Just because it might not look exactly like every holiday gathering of years passed doesn’t mean that this holiday season can’t still be meaningful and help you connect with your family in a fun way. 

Maybe it’s enjoying Thanksgiving meals together over FaceTime or streaming in a Facebook Live room together while each family is at their own home. Maybe it’s agreeing to all watch the same favorite holiday movie at the same time and text or call each other at your favorite parts. Maybe it’s playing a game online together instead of being able to sit around a table to play together. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover a fun new holiday tradition to add by getting creative and putting extra effort in to new ways to stay connected, even if you have to be apart this year. 

It’s not unusual for different family households to have different opinions and levels of comfort about gathering for holiday celebrations and it’s going to take a lot of patience, creativity and understanding on everyone’s part to make the holidays feel good to everyone. 

For more from Mitchell, visit her website.

There’s only about a month left until Thanksgiving, and many people know how to assemble a pie and stick it in the oven, Jason Michael Thomas of Urban AG Indy joined us today to show how you can take your baking up a notch by making homemade pie fillings with apples and pumpkins from the farmers markets!

Urban Ag Indy has pies and all kinds of Thanksgiving goodies available for pre-order and pickup. This includes Becker Farms Turkeys and Breasts, Bread and Stuffing kits.

Jason Michael Thomas owns Urban Awareness Gardens in the heart of downtown Indianapolis where he elegantly prepares 100 percent locally farmed and foraged dinners in a private setting. He uses his television appearances and social media influence to educate others about the crucial importance of the sustainable food movement and promotes a healthy lifestyle by teaching why we should seek out the most natural and delicious local foods.

Go to www.jasonmichaelthomas.com to learn more about his mission and book your private dinners and events.